Halda’s got a prostate cancer drug (HLD-0915) in clinical trials and earlier programs for breast/lung cancer. Deal is expected to close over the next few months, pending approvals.
J&J making another big bet in oncology after their $14.6B neuroscience deal earlier this year… Looks like they’re going all-in on the next wave of targeted cancer treatments. Will be interesting to see how HLD-0915 pans out and if these new assets actually move the needle for them.
Anyone else tracking these pharma M&A trends lately?
Great move by Johnsons here.
They are reinforcing their push into oncology beyond just neuroscience. HLD-0915 targeting prostate cancer is still in early-to-mid phase trials which means time and risk lie ahead but prostate cancer remains a huge market with unmet needs.
What stands out for me is Halda’s pipeline breadth i.e breast, lung, and other solid tumors which aligns well with J&J’s existing oncology platforms. This can possibly allow for cross pollination of research and efficient commercialization if early data is positive.
Given the track record of JJ, they’re likely looking at this as a long-term growth driver rather than a quick fix. The $14.6B IntraCellular buy earlier this year fits into a bigger strategy to diversify their portfolio with innovation-focused biotechs.